Utah Royals FC draft BYU and local star, Taylor Isom

Sandy, Utah, Native and Alta High School Product Stays at Home After Utah Royals FC Selects Defender with the 14th Overall Pick in the NWSL Draft

PHILDADELPHIA, Pennsylvania (Thursday, January 18, 2018) – Utah Royals FC made its historic first pick in the 2018 NWSL Draft on Thursday, selecting Sandy native, Alta High School alum and BYU product DF Taylor Isom with the 14th overall pick.

Royals FC Owner Dell Loy Hansen joined Head Coach Laura Harvey, General Manager Craig Waibel and Managing Director Stephanie Lee in welcoming Isom for the club’s inaugural season in 2018.

“I have an excitement for being drafted and to be home that I can’t even describe,” Isom said. “It is incredible for me to be a part of a program that wants to do amazing things for soccer and for the women’s game. I love that Laura and Dell Loy Hansen want to put women’s soccer exposure in the state of Utah. “

A three-time state champion at Alta High School in 2008, 2009 and 2011 under Head Coach Lee Mitchell, Isom has been part of a successful program at BYU that has been nationally ranked in each of her four years playing with the Cougars. She played 82 matches in four years, totaling two goals and one assist in 7,311 minutes. She was a Second Team All-American selection in 2016, when she was named West Coast Conference Defensive Player of the Year.

“Taylor is an athletic, local defender,” Harvey said. “We are happy she can come on board and that she can stay at home.”

Utah Royals FC begins its inaugural NWSL season in the Spring of 2018, playing home matches at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah. Inaugural Utah Royals FC season tickets are now available to the general public, which can reserve their place in the queue by quickly filling out the form at www.RSL.com/NWSL.